After a decade of existence, Community Field is undergoing a changeover from grass to an artificial playing surface.

Taking pledges from local individuals and businesses, Carrollton Exempted Village Board of Education officials were able to line up financing to pay for an AstroTurf surface.

A Cleveland-area vendor, Sports Contracting Group, is installing the artificial turf, and it is expected to be ready for the Carrollton High School Warriors’ home opener Sept. 5 against Edison High School.

“Money was raised in about a month,” Athletic Director Mark Spears said. “We are financing it. We have pledges from private individuals and businesses in the community. We have it (loan) set up for 10 years. I think we will pay it off in seven.”

The turf is costing about $520,000.

“It is going to be less expensive to maintain,” Spears said. “It is going to provide an opportunity for more kids to play. And it is another practice field.”

Other than the high school varsity football team, others expected to use the stadium include the freshman and middle school teams, soccer teams and various community-sponsored youth football leagues.

With a seating capacity of 3,900, the stadium sits just south of Carrollton at the school system administration campus in the 200 block of Scio Road (State Route 332).

“The surface fiber is polyethylene,” said Justen Stickley, a sales representative for Sports Contracting Group of Brecksville. “Each blade of grass is 2.25 inches tall. Below the surface is a nylon fiber called a root zone. Putting a synthetic surface in there basically eliminates the surface wear that natural grass would take. With a synthetic surface you are not dealing with the same natural elements.”

Sports Contracting Group also installed an artificial turf for Jackson High School’s football stadium.

And for those most affected by the artificial turf, there is a safety factor with having a consistently level surface, according to head football coach Eric McCort.